Portable flashlight



Oct. 30, 1945.

PORTABLE FLASHLIGHT Filed Dec. 24, 1941 INVENTOR. 5 Mm mffidm 3mm: 7 M M v ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 30, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v h 2 387 753 PORTABLE FLAsiifiGfi'r Joseph Frank, Fore'stHills; and Arthur Phelps M'arr, Brooklyn; N. Y., assignors to Gemloid Corporation ;E Imhurst,; Long Island, N. Ye, a corporation of N ew York Appiieatieh becemb 'r '24, 1941-, seria o. 4245310 2 Claims. This invention relates to a plastic flashlight and. more particularly this invention relates the flashlight having certainhew and unusual features of construction.

Flashlights e rdmarny formed of metal has. ings with a glass lens enclosing ari inea'ntlscent bulb. It has been suggested that flashlights may be provided with plastic casings in the area of.

the light and such casings may be difilisedly imiminateti by the bulb.

We have now devised a novel flashlight andi'n the modifier i form a lantern which provides di fused illumination that is of particular utility when either direct or indirect illumination is re= quirecl. v t

It is the object of thepres'ent invention is pro- 'vide a not/e1 flashlight which provides diffused and sort illumination. I o

It is a further object of the present invention toprovide a flashlight completely encased iii plastic andvvhich has tough and resilient construcion.

It is a further bbject of the present invention to provide a lantern in the general forth of a flashlight having a stand integral therewith.

It is a further object of the present invehtioh' to provide a novel combination of an encasirie metal container for the batteries of a flashlight which serves e150 as e reflector for" the light travellingthrough the plastic casing of the flashlight. p

It is a fnrther objectof the present invention to provide a novel combination. offiii'ger wet and belt clip which are set in at the control and stand Eig nre l is ahottom iew of 1g uf'e-2 showih the finger loop andbelt clip arrahgeht'eht contained int e c ntra button or thefiashliht.

igure 5 is a erhsssee ieheitiewshewihge modified for or oohtrol biitto'n'whieh may he used on the flashlight "or this ihve'rition.

Referring ntw zhore speciheauy to the raw t e. in time 1 is she l'i a, flashlight haw e a easiilggln, href-erahlyttnhee or methyl ihetnht:

25 th ebhthet point of t e loatt' y 1 (c1. rte-329) "rylate, sold under the trade name of 'Lli cite and, alternatively, styrene or other so-called light piping plastics may be employed forthis casing.

Light is shpplied completely through t thi casing from t e incandescent bulb ll which is positioned iii the opening I2 at the uppereclge of the ca ing m, From the incandescent hhib J! the liht travels ihtdahi down throughthe' light piping pm'stie e sin m. The incandescen bnlb n is serewea into the opehihii it; the metal contaiher in which alsocohtains the dry cellbatteries It and is which suhmy h'e 'cnrrentto 115 lumihat'e the incandescent htii ll. The circiiit is eoihpietea betweeh the batteri s and t e 1 candescent ll bypressing the batteries I 5 and Hi against the reactibnof the resilieht spring I! into contact with th'elqulb II The -spring I1 is set ih the upper t e of the container l4 aha upon compression allovvs bontacthetweefi the 20 battery I5 aha the ihcandesceht bulb l]. The resilient spring I! is in the form of a coil of sufficient diameter both to be retaihed in place by the inetal container 14 and so that it doesnot contact the base of the incandescent bhlb II. or

As additional precaution we provide an insulatins coating, as ofsohlie suitable iris'nlatihg plastic, over the resilient coil spring I]. The completion of the light circuit is" efiected by means of the control biittoh ljwhich li ponl rotation, {moving screw thread engagement with the cap portion 20 the screw thiea-d area 2l, rhoves the prejetion 22 inwardly, the p hg' ortien ZZ car'rying upon its end in fixed engagement; the right angle nietallic tom 2!. The right angle t llrn 24 is' set over thepl'iig eii'te'r'ision 25 which is swedged over to hold the right anle il permanently in place.

In additioh to the right ehgie turn 24 m stitutihg the iitterit'ieaiate pressu e area' vv'hich transmits pressure from the control Is to the battery 6, the right ahgle tiirii 34 which eiitends upwateny at 26 also oohtacts'the metallic container M to oorhplete the circuit be ween thehiilb rinetame container, the right ehgie turn, the battery is and the battery [5-, I 4 v The metallic coht "er :4 is s'et into the plastic easing m ahaeets sim ltahe q yes he eieethem eehheetioh ele ieiit. a reflector member for reflection of the li ght diffiised and pil 'd down through the plastie casihg I ll, aha also as a contamer for th batteries [5 she is and the The metal container ljl is fixc i in position by t e right a ie flange 28; thereon which earis 56 et'ai etthe bottonli edge of the plastic easihe Iii.

This right angle flange 28 determines the exact location of the metal container I4 and the casing ID. The control button I9 is relatively wide in diameter and has a flat bottom 30 so that the flashlight can be stood upon the bottom portion 30 and used as a lantern.

For carrying the flashlight we provide, as more particularly shown in Figure 3, a wire fingerl'oop invention in which the casing 58 contains integrally formed therewith a lens portion 5|, the

casing 50 and lens portion 5| comprising the light piping transparent plastic such as methyl methacrylate or its equivalent as set forth specifically above.

InIthis casing 50 is a metal container 52 and the reflector 53 in which is positioned the incandescent bulb 54. A resilient spring 55 which is coated with insulating material such as a plastic, normally maintains the batteries 56 and 5! in spaced relation from the incandescent bulb 54, but'the batteries 56 and 51 may be pressed against the spring 55 by the right angle turn 58 in order to close the circuit and lightthe bulb 54, the circuit extending from the battery 51 through the right angle turn 58 and the extension 60 thereofvto the metal container 52 and the reflector 53 into the bulb 54 and through the bulb 54 to the battery 56. The right angle turn 58 is moimted on the projection 62 of the plastic button 63, the projection 62 being swedged back at the head 64 to hold the right angle turn 58 permanently in place. Pressure upon the button 63 causes the right angle .turn' 58 to close the circuit as described.

The right angle turn 58 may also be impelled forward-toclose the circuitto light the lamp by rotation of the control button 65 which is in screw thread engagement with the cap 66. The cap 66 is as shown in screw thread engagementwith the plastic casing. 56 at 61. Upon rotation. ofv the control button 65 the inwardly projectingportion 69 thereof presses against the intermediate portion of the right angle turn 58 and-carries forward both the right angle turn 58 and the plastic button 63 to which the right angle turn 58 is secured. 7

The button 63 is employed when a temporary lighting is desired and the control button 65 is rotated when a continuous lighting is desired. 7

The metal container 52 is secured in position by right angle flange 1|] thereon which contacts the bottom edge of the casing 50.

As more particularly seen in Figure 4, in the control button 65 there is provided a. finger loop 12 pivoted at 13 and 14. A belt clip 15 is pivotally mounted on the finger loop 72 at 16 and 11. This belt clip 15 is shaped to extend about the push button 63. The bottom portion 18 of the control button 65 is flat and of relatively large extent so that the flashlight may be stood upon this bottom 18 and used as a lantern.

V In Figure 5 we show a modified form of control in which a control button 80, which is adapted to be rotated by the serrated surface 8| thereon in screw thread engagement with the cap 82 so as to advan'ce or.'.retract the right angle turn 83 mounted on theextension84 of the'push butt n Wand seQured'thereon by the swedging' 86.

The finger loop 88 is pivotally mounted in the cap 4 82 at 89 and 90.

The construction thus shown and described above provides a wear resistant flashlight adapt ed for a multiplicity of uses. Because of the complete plastic encasement of the operative parts of this invention and the protection afforded by it for the incandescent bulb, the flashlight may be subjected to rough handling without destruction. Further by the particular constructicn of the control button we provide means both for securing the flashlight to a belt or holding it in' ones hand as well as providing a desirable base for using the flashlight as a lantern.

The metal container which contains the various parts including the spring and the battery as pointed out above serves both as a conducting member, a protecting element and a reflector to reflect light widely through the casing I0.

With particular reference to the form of the invention shown in Figure 2 it will be noted that the lens is provided therein which is integral with the casing of the flashlight and is relatively indestructible, while at the same time provides for predetermined focusing of the light from the incandescent bulb.

, Various other modifications of this invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

. Accordingly we desire that in construing the breadth of the appended claims that they shall notbe limited to the specific details. shown and described in connection with the above explanation. I 1 r We claim: 1. A portable, manually operated combination flash light and signallin device comprising. in

, supplying direct illumination in the form of emitted light and indirect illuminationin the form of light picked .up by the edge of said casing .of light piping plastic and distributed throughout said casing, and a metal container 3 having an external. reflecting surface which acts as a reflecting shield positioned within said casing. and locked in position therein, said shield increasing the light sidewardly difiused 1. from said casing, batteries located in said casing said light bulb having two terminals-one of said terminals electrically engaging said metalcontainer at its upper end and the-other of sald terminals positioned to electrically engage. said batteries, 'a control button, and'm'eans fixed on said control button for pressing .said'batte ries into contact with said light .bulb,..said means comprising a right angle shaped metal pressing member, one-portion. of said right angleshaped member being positioned; toflpress said batteries toward said light .bulb, asecond portion of" said right angle member being positioned insliding electrical engagement with said metal container.

2JA' portable, manually. operated combination 7 in one end thereof, said opening forming exposed.

edgesin said casing, said casing having'an 'ap preciable thickness at said opening, ailightbulb positioned in said opening in close lproximity to the edge of said "opening, said light bulb upon illumination supplying direct illumination in the form of emitted light and indirect illumination in the form of light picked up by the edge of said casing of light piping plastic and distributed throughout aid casing, and a metal container having an external reflecting surface which acts as a refiecting'shield positioned within said casing and provided with a lug projecting over the edge of said casing and locked in position therein by said lug, sai shield increasing the light sidewardly difiused from said casing, batteries located in said casing, said light bulb having two terminals, one of said terminal electrically engaging said metal container at its upper end and the other of said terminals positioned to electrically engage said batteries, a control button extending through said cap, and means fixed on said control button and in constant contact with said metal container for pressing said batteries into contact with said light bulb, said means comprising a right angle shaped metal pressing member, one free end of said right angle shaped metal pressing member resting upon and being adapted to press said battery toward said light bulb, the second free end of said right angle shaped metal pressing member being positioned in sliding electrical engagement with said metal container.

JOSEPH FRANK.

ARTHUR. PHELPS MARR. 

